Things could be better for Princess Briony. She's woken up in a wedding dress (again) only to find the capital city covered in thorns, everyone asleep-and no prince. After a daring escape (and getting robbed), Briony sets off to find what life holds for her. Along the way, she meets Ella, a runaway servant girl with a knack for billiards, Rapunzel, an inventor who's spent her whole life locked in a tower, and Fortunata, once a proud mermaid and now the star of a traveling freak show. This unlikely group of heroines sets off on a quest of personal satisfaction now that the rules have changed. But they're not the only ones not sleeping in the kingdom of Sturrybucque. In the absence of the king and queen, some of the lords have become more corrupt and have a good chance of ruining everything. Some of the laws of magic still apply, and Briony must either find true love's kiss or kill the faerie who originally cursed her family. Otherwise, the rest of the royal family-along with all of Sturrybucque City-will sleep forever.